These Worlds of Ours
by Skyward Princess of Time
Summary: Light cannot exist without darkness. We are two sides of the same coin, you and I. AU, but set in the Twilight Princess Universe. Zelink, Midlink.
1. Prologue: The Coin Toss

**I don't own the Legend of Zelda. If I did… xD  
**_**These Worlds of Ours **_**is rated "T" for language, romance, and fun action stuff.**

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_**These Worlds of Ours  
**__A Legend of Zelda Fanfiction  
__**The Coin Toss**_

_Light cannot exist without darkness. We are two sides of the same coin, you and I. Never forget that there is a world attached to this one._

"Hyrule! On this glorious day, we celebrate the coronation of our one true princess and almighty ruler of Hyrule, Zelda."

She stood, a polite, earnest smile on her face as she delicately waved to the mass of Hylians at the base of Hyrule Castle. Her people cheered, tears streaking down many of the women's' faces, cheeks stained with runny mascara, as they had been waiting for this day. They all basked in the gentle glow of the sunlight and praised this day, the day their beloved princess grew up and was officially the ruler of Hyrule.

Zelda said something short and to the point, never faltering even though she was before a large crowd. All her life she trained for this. All her life she spent hours and hours studying Hylian laws, language, and people. She was more than ready. She was done waiting in the wings for her turn.

As she gave a final wave, she stepped down, tripping slightly as the heel of her pearl white shoes snagged on her silk dress. She let out a gasp of surprise, trying to fall as gracefully as possible. Before she did an embarrassing faceplant, and strong, battle-harden hand caught hers. She smiled at her savior, blushing lightly and giving a small sigh of relief.

"We can't have you falling on your first day, Milady."

He was a couple years older than she and had been with her, protecting her, her entire life. He winked at her, his blue eyes smiling with laughter. She resisted all urges to slap him, opting to raise her eyebrow at him instead in a look that said 'I'll deal with you later.'

"Thank you, Commander Link."

He gave her hand a squeeze, refusing to let go, leading his newly crowned princess down the hall to the rest of her life.

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"People of Twilight! On this day, we hereby recognize the marriage between Midna, Princess of the Twili, and Zant, noble son of Vaati."

She stood, a fake smile marred by sadness on her face as she refused to meet the eyes of the despicable man chosen to be her husband. She glanced briefly to her people, shuddering at the sound of the fake clap and false shouts of praise. No Twili with a brain wanted Zant of all people to be the heir to the throne. Their faces were masked by darkness, hidden by the shadows that plagued the Shadow Realm, and cursed this day, this day that the most incompetent buffoon became heir to the throne.

Midna whispered a quick "I do" softly, her lips barely brushing his. He didn't love her. She didn't love him. She never usually cared about public speaking, but for some reason, today she faltered. She couldn't say anything to her people. She couldn't say anything she _wanted _to say. Even though she trained to be a ruler her entire life, studying Twili history, language, and people, nothing prepared her for this. She wasn't ready. She would give anything to be seventeen again.

As she finally forced herself to look her people straight in the eyes, she stepped forward, not noticing the small step. She gasped, about ready to fall, when a strong, controlling hand caught her. She closed her eyes, cursing at herself internally for being so weak and so scared, giving a tentative smile at her savior.

"We can't have you falling, Milady."

He was a couple years older than she and been with her, learning with her, making her life hell, her entire life. He glanced condescendingly at her, and although he spoke no more, she could tell he was embarrassed for her. She almost expected him to let her fall.

"Thank you, Milord."

He gave a squeeze, a possessive squeeze, as he dragged his new bride down the aisle and out the door to the rest of her hellish life.


	2. The Head of the Tail

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Zelda. If I did… xD  
**_**These Worlds of Ours **_**is rated "T" for mild language, romance, and fun action stuff.**

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_**The Head of the Tail**_

"This sucks."

Actually, saying it "sucked" was probably the biggest understatement of the century. Midna had a few choice words, most involving the worst curse word of every language known to Twili. She groaned, flopping on her bed and kicking off her shoes—who the world forced her into eight inch stilettos? Those shoes weren't made for walking—and burying her face in her pillow. She didn't give a crap that all of her makeup was smearing the pillow. She didn't care if someone demanded she make her thirty billionth appearance.

Midna, the Twilight Princess, was married. At eighteen years old.

She hated it.

Thankfully, someone showed pity on the obviously unhappy princess and allowed the newlyweds to spend the night in separate rooms while they 'adjusted to being married' or some nonsense like that. Truthfully, Zant probably insisted that he didn't want to sleep anywhere near her because she was disgusting, which was fine for Midna. It was a two way street, bud.

Midna sighed, rubbing sleep out of her eyes and straightened, searching around her room for any patrol birds or anything dumb like that. He was keeping her under surveillance. He had to be. He wouldn't kill her, no, he needed her in order to make his claim to the throne legitimate, but he'd control her.

The Twili used to be ruled by females. Queens and princesses were the dominant authority. Actually, no one really cared the ruler's gender, but queens and princesses just…fit. All until Ganondorf came and Nabooru, the beloved Twili Queen, passed away. Now all of a sudden for the first time in centuries women became subservient.

Midna was used to living in a fortress. Her father kept her under watch all the time. But at least, with her father, he allowed her to be educated. He actually cared about her being a good ruler. And…well, it's one thing to be watched by your father, because he's well, your father.

It was another thing to be controlled by a husband you didn't pick.

Midna bit her lip, forcing the tears that threatened to fall away. She was Midna. She didn't cry. Only weak people cried. She closed her eyes and buried her face in her lap, forcing her breathing to calm and her heartbeat to steady. Everything was sinking in. The reality of her situation stung.

Midna heard a small whine, relishing in the gentle patter of a dog's tongue on her cheek. There he was. She was getting worried that he wouldn't show up on her oh-so-special day.

"Hi Blue," she said quietly. She touched her face, unsure if the moisture was from his tongue or her tears. Although she'd never admit it, it was probably both. She grinned, refusing to show weakness even to him, wiping the icky substance on his fur. "Yuck, you're slimy!"

He gave a small pant which he usually did when he was content. She pet his head, scratching behind his ears gently and savoring Blue's elated expression. What a typical dog. He always loved being scratched behind the ears.

If her father knew she was keeping a massive wolf as a pet, he'd probably either banish her to the Isle of the Dark or have Blue publicly executed. Thankfully, Blue was a pro at hiding. He only appeared to Midna late at night in her bedroom. Where he lived the rest of the day Midna didn't know, nor did she really care, as long as he came.

"Do you want a treat?" Midna asked, getting up and rummaging through her drawers. She pulled up on the bottom of the drawer, revealing a hidden compartment that held all of Blue's snacks. Blue leapt gracefully—well, as gracefully as a giant wolf the size of a pony could jump—to the floor, tail wagging as he pawed her gently. "Sit boy," Midna ordered. He plopped down. Midna grinned, tossing the treat and stroking his muzzle gently. She scratched his ears, noticing the slightly crooked piercings in the wolf's large, pointy ears.

Midna was at her happiest when Blue was around. To some, it may seem silly, but Blue was really the only true friend she'd ever had. She found him wandering around the castle ten years ago when she was just a scared little girl. Wolves were revered by the ancient Twili as they were the sign of the hero. Midna needed a prince in shining armor on a white horse, or well, a hero in the form of a dog. She pierced his ears a long time ago to subtly claim he was hers. Being the amazing name creator she was, she named him "Blue" from his pure blue eyes.

"I've got an issue, Blue," she said with a sigh, plopping back down on her bed. Blue jumped up, snuggling next to her for story time, resting his head in her lap. Yes, Midna always told Blue her life's problems. He was a great listener. Even better, he never talked back. Because well, he was a wolf.

"What do I do?" she asked quietly. Blue looked up at her quizzically, concerned and at the same time wondering why she stopped petting him. She laughed lightly, stroking him on his body and getting any tangles out of his fur with her fingers. "How do I get out of this one?"

Blue panted, barking softly and then growling lightly, he bared his teeth. Midna laughed. An ordinary person would be terrified, but Blue was never violent. Midna knew that was his way of telling her what he thought. It was amazing, but Midna always had the sneaking suspicion that Blue understood every single word she said.

"I can't kill him, silly. Although, I'll admit it's been quite tempting." Blue whined softly, pawing at an itch in his ear. After his itch was satisfied, he gave her a blank look, a look that said 'well then, I'm fresh out of ideas.'

Midna laughed again, amazed at the sound of her laughter. She rarely smiled let alone laughed these days. No, all happiness faded when she married Mr. Gangly Arms. Gangly Arms. That was a new one. A fitting nickname. Midna filed that away for future reference.

"What can I do, though? I can't stay here. I'm freaking miserable. He is more overbearing than Daddy. Besides, we all know that I'm merely a figurehead. I have no power anymore." Blue whimpered, sensing her frustration, licking her cheek gently. She smiled. "Maybe I should just marry you."

Blue snorted at that.

Midna sighed, getting up from her bed and walking over to her floor to ceiling window. The skies of Twilight seemed so serene and peaceful, never changing from its luminous black and orange color. She glanced to the opening in front of the castle. That opening used to hold a white light, a forbidden light in Twilight. It used to be the portal between worlds.

Once upon a time—Midna felt like she was telling a fairy tale—Hyrule was one, complete world. Hylians were children of the gods, blessed in their eternal paradise. However, a group of Hylians weren't satisfied with their lives and attempted to control the Triforce, the entity that held the Goddesses' power. Furious at their betrayal, the Goddesses banished the group to the Shadow Realm, a world cloaked by darkness. That Shadow Realm later became known as the Twilight Realm, and its inhabitants became known as the Twili.

But see, unbeknownst to most of the light dwellers, the group that attempted to control the Triforce, Midna's ancestors, learned from their mistakes. They gave up their greed and actually ruled quite peacefully. Twilight became very peaceful, and dare she say it, a nice place to live. However, not all Twili made do and got over their grudge. They swore revenge on the light dwellers.

What shocked Midna the most was that the light dwellers swore revenge on the Twili too. For what? What for? The Twili were banished and could not ever enter the Light Realm. But one day, fifty years ago, the light dwellers invaded. That invasion began the Thirty Year War. At first it was a mass slaughtering of the Twili people, but then the Twili leaders found out how to penetrate the Mirror of Twilight.

Yes, the Mirror of Twilight and arguably the culprit of everyone's woes. The Mirror of Twilight was, before its destruction at the hands of the light dweller's so-called greatest hero, the link between the two realms. But of course, there was a catch. The light dwellers could enter and exist in the Twilight Realm, but the Twili could not enter and exist in the light world. That must have been the Goddesses' way of saying f-you to the Twili and allowing their pets to keep an eye on them. For years, the light dwellers stayed far away from the mirror as possible, as if it was some sort of accursed object or something. Then the light dwellers came up with an excellent idea to just invade the Twilight Realm. Why not? In theory, it was a war they couldn't lose and the Twili could not enter the Light Realm and do any damage. Well, then the Twili found out how to penetrate the mirror from their side and realized they could exist—well, somewhat—in the Light Realm after all. Hence the Thirty Year War. The war only ended when the Mirror was destroyed. Destroyed, yes, but not shattered. At least, Midna didn't think it was shattered. According to legend, only the true leader of Twilight could completely destroy it from the Light side. And the Mirror was destroyed by a light dweller, so…

Midna always speculated about that damn shiny object. She was curious, admittedly. She was curious to see what kind of paradise the light dwellers lived in. She wanted to know what kind of pompous, stuck-up assholes these light dwellers were. She wanted to see what kind of people would attack a defenseless nation.

Midna was so lost in her musings that she missed Blue pawing at her leg. She smiled, patting him on the head and sighing again. She loved it in Twilight, and certainly didn't care for the Light Realm, but at the same time…

Anywhere was better than here at the moment.

Blue opened his mouth to bark before his ears shot up, he gave a small whimper, and suddenly dashed off. Midna raised her eyebrows, beginning to call for him before she realized there was someone coming. Lovely. Maybe it was her oh-so-magnificent husband.

"Who's there?" she asked.

The doors flung open, and in walked a large, armor-laden man with broad shoulders and a bright, fiery red beard. He wore no crown—he did not have to, everyone in Twilight knew who he was—and dismissed the guards following him with a wave of his hands.

"Midna." His voice was deep, authoritative, and made no mention of the Twilight Princesses' status.

"Father," Midna spoke quietly. She crossed her arms over her chest, biting her tongue defiantly as she restrained herself from just screaming at him. She was angry at him, of course. This whole marriage deal was his fault and his fault alone. Yet, at the same time, even though she was his daughter…no one spoke against the Great Ganondorf. No one.

"I expected you to stay longer at the banquet held in your honor," he continued, walking over to her, his massive body looming over her. He was disappointed, of course, when was he not disappointed with Midna?

"I needed some fresh air," Midna spoke coolly. "I was feeling faint and wanted some space for a moment."

Well, that wasn't entirely false. Midna was sick and tired of being crammed into a room filled with Twili aristocracy, pompous—almost as pompous as those light dwellers—fat freaks who only cared about food and their wallet and not the well-being of the general population.

"You will return to the celebration," Ganondorf said. It wasn't a question. "You will return to your husband's side and act like the princess you are supposed to be." He made no mention nor care for Midna's health. After staring at her, ensuring that she received his message, he walked out of the room, not saying another word. He expected Midna to obey him. She always did.

Midna sighed. And she thought she was stubborn. She walked over to the mirror, disappointed in her sad reflection. If she cared, she would redo her makeup. All she saw in the mirror was a sad, unhappy princess who couldn't be herself.

Now that Ganondorf was gone, Blue walked over to her, whimpering and licking her arm. She pet him, placing a soft kiss on the tip of his black nose. Blue wagged his tail, nudging her wrist. Midna smiled as Blue dropped a shining teal amulet in her hand.

"Is this for me?" She asked. Blue nodded, giving a small bark. "Thank you." She put the amulet necklace on, admiring the beautiful jewel in the mirror. Hey, she was a girl too, and every girl likes nice things. She had no idea where Blue got it, but hey, if he stole it, oh well, he was a wolf and when was the last time you heard of a wolf going to jail?

"I gotta get away from here, Blue."

_So have you wished it, so shall it be._

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**Eh, that was a bit shorter than I wanted. Oh well. These first three or so chapters follow a pattern and I'm sticking to it. xD Sorry it's mostly description. I hate introductory chapters. :P **

**Please leave a review! I would love to know your thoughts and opinions. :D Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy the story so far and I'll see you later!**


	3. The Tail of the Head

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Zelda. If I did… xD  
**_**These Worlds of Ours **_**is rated "T" for mild language, romance, and fun action stuff.**

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_**The Tail of the Head**_

"…so that's it, then? He's nowhere to be found?"

"No, my Princess."

"That stinks."

Zelda huffed, resting her head on her hands. Where did that boy go off to this time? Sure, he had a habit of randomly disappearing mysteriously for about an hour or so every night, but come on. She at least expected him to stay around for her coronation ceremony. How else would she pass the time? Talking to nobles was insufferable. All they cared about was eating and how much money was in their wallets. They had zero care for the general population's wellbeing.

"Princess Zelda."

Oh look. Baldy-Shorty Man was back. Baldy-Shorty Man? Zelda suppressed a giggle. What kind of a nickname was that? No matter, it fit. She made a mental note to save that for future reference.

"Chancellor Cole," the young princess spoke in her calm, authoritative voice. Seriously, Chancellor Cole was _short_. And to think Link was self-conscious about his height. At least you could make the argument that Link was taller than a table. Chancellor Cole, on the other hand…

"Now that you are the ruler of Hyrule, it would be in your best interest to socialize with Hyrule's esteemed visitors in order to ensure our long-standing alliances are practiced."

What was she, chopped Cuckoo? Of course Zelda spoke to the foreign diplomats who were kind enough—or bribed enough—to attend. She did that at the beginning of the party so they could tell she was thoroughly gracious for their attendance and so they'd feel important. Because the important part about ensuring any alliance was making sure the other side felt important.

She would have killed to see Link's reaction to this one.

"_Oh, I'm sorry you didn't notice Zelda speaking to the ambassadors at the beginning of the party because you couldn't see through people's kneecaps."_

Sometimes she wished she had his blunt honesty. It was one of his most endearing qualities.

Unfortunately, Zelda was a princess and she had a reputation to uphold. She sat up straighter in her chair, cleared her throat with a soft "ahem", folded her hands and gave one of her widest smiles.

"I treasure the relationship Hyrule shares with other nations, so I spoke to our esteemed visitors at the start of the party. I appreciate your concern, Chancellor, and hope you will continue to work for the benefit and prosperity of Hyrule."

She hoped she didn't sound too sickly sweet. Politics was a difficult business. You had to play the game- Zelda was certain she played it well-and the slightest mishap could ruin you. At the same time, she wanted to get the point across that she was a big girl, thank you, and she didn't need a babysitter anymore.

She really wished Link was here.

"Chancellor Cole, you should be the happiest one here today. Now you don't have the stress of running an entire nation," a new voice interjected. Zelda nearly hugged the woman.

"Lady Impa," Zelda said with a slight nod as a sign of respect for the battle-hardened female warrior. Impa gave Zelda a mischievous wink.

"Lady Impa, I assumed you would be at your post," Chancellor Cole fumbled. Zelda resisted the urge to fall on the floor laughing. The dear Chancellor was always nervous in Impa's presence. Probably because Cole was about the size of Impa's breasts.

"Seeing as I am the Captain of the Special Forces and the Princesses' caretaker, my Lord, I like to check in on the Princess once and awhile. I am merely performing my duties." Impa grinned. Her smile screamed of falsity as she again shot the Princess a playful wink. The Chancellor, tomato red with embarrassment and fear huffed something incoherent and bumbled away.

"Thanks Captain," Zelda said with a sigh, collapsing onto the table, unable to keep up the prim and proper look. She messaged her temples. "I hoped that once I became the true leader of Hyrule he'd stop babysitting me."

The elder woman smiled, stabbing her sword in the ground next to her and taking the seat next to the weary princess. She placed a hand on Zelda's shoulder, smiling at her lovingly. Zelda smiled back. Ever since her mother's death, she was placed in Impa's care. For as long as she could remember, the female warrior served as her primary caretaker as well as the Commander of the Royal Army. She only recently left her position as Commander when her son came of age. Although she was the only female in the army and now forty-five years old, Zelda envied her looks. Impa was still regarded as one of the most beautiful women in all of Hyrule. Impa was everything Zelda aspired to be: a strong, independent, kind woman.

"The hardest thing to do is force a person to give up something they already have," Impa spoke gently, kind green eyes twinkling. "Chancellor Cole's been ruler for ten years now. You know that man. All he wants is power. He eats, drinks, sleeps, and shits power."

Zelda laughed, trying to erase the horrible mental image of Chancellor Cole shitting power. She played with her braid, her half braid style modeled after her late mother. Her parents. Zelda shook her head, knowing what happened when she became too engrossed in the memories of her lost parents. She never liked elaborating on the subject, but ten years ago, shortly after she turned eight, she witnessed her parents' brutal murder. Impa, sensing what Zelda was thinking about, brushed a loose strand of Zelda's brown hair out of the young Princesses' face.

"Your mother would be proud," Impa said softly.

Zelda wiped away the tears that always threatened when she thought about her parents, smiling at her foster mother. "I have to prove to Hyrule that I'm a capable ruler," she said.

Impa laughed, shaking her head. "You already have, my dear." Not wanting Zelda to be in the dumps for too long, Impa clapped Zelda on the shoulder, something she always did when she was proud of Zelda, and stood up, adjusting her bulky armor which was clearly not meant for her. "Now, on the other hand, if you could knock some sense into that boy of mine…where is he, by the way?"

Zelda shrugged. "MIA. I haven't seen him since around six or so."

Impa sighed, slinging his sword over her shoulder and not caring at all that there was now a hole in the ground. "That boy. I can't even." She walked off, muttering herself about delinquent children and needing to keep certain sons on a leash.

Zelda laughed lightly to herself, observing the ceremony. Other than Impa yelling at a couple of young men for inappropriately dancing with even younger girls, everything was going very smoothly. Dancing…how she envied the young people. She wanted nothing more than to take off her pearl white heels—these stilettos certainly weren't made for walking—and dance like a normal girl. She loved being a princess, but at the same time…

"Would Milady care to dance?"

It was so sweet and such perfect timing that Zelda almost forgot she was angry at him. She rested her head on her fist, raising her eyebrow at him. She was gonna get him for disappearing, that was for sure. She'd have to think of a proper punishment. She didn't respond for a moment, letting him sweat a bit, before finally taking his hand.

"Perhaps," she said.

She let Link lead her into the crowd, resisting the urge to rest her head on his shoulder as they danced. She and Link were only friends. That was all. Childhood friends. He smiled at her, blue eyes dancing in the candlelight. Zelda sometimes wondered what went in that thick head of his. What did he see Zelda as? His friend? His princess? Sometimes Zelda didn't know.

"What's up?" Link's voice was a soothing tenor, always music to Zelda's ears. There was a look of concern in his eyes. He knew her too well. He always knew what she was thinking.

"Nothing," she murmured, lost in his pools of blue. She resisted the urge to play with his dirty blond hair. However, she did ultimately succumb to her urge to play with his earrings. She tugged on his right silver hoop, giggling as he gave an exaggerated expression of pain.

"Ow," he growled. "Quit it." He rubbed his ear, tongue sticking out childishly.

"Your piercings are crooked," she laughed. It was oh-so-slight, but his right ear piercing was slightly off.

"I told you, I did them when I was ten," Link said defensively, playing with his right earring. "I wasn't the brightest kid back then,"

Zelda wanted to retort ("you're not the brightest now"), but refrained, finally allowing herself to lay her head on his shoulder. They were just friends. That was okay.

He smiled, giving her hand a squeeze, resting his head lightly on top of hers. She closed her eyes, heart beating to the rhythm of the slow song, taking in Link's scent of steel and hay. It was a weird combination, but for some reason, it worked for him. Zelda peeped out of the corner of her eye at their entwined hands.

Questions came to mind, questions that plagued her every single day. She never worked up enough courage to ask him. It drove her nuts. Zelda was never afraid to ask the important question. She was a strong, independent woman. Yet, for some reason, she could never ask him.

She could never ask him what he really felt about her.

"Link," Zelda breathed quietly into his shirt. "Link, I…"

"COMMANDER!"

Link's body tensed and he cried out of pain as a giant sheath collided with the young commander's head. Zelda tried to hide her hysterical fits of giggles behind her hand as Link glared at his attacker.

"You are the Commander of the Hylian Forces. I will not allow you to be engaging in such inappropriate behavior with the Princess," Impa scolded, continuing to whack the poor boy with her sheath and shield alike. At one point, Zelda could have sworn Impa pulled out a hammer of all things and smacked the youth upside the head.

"Ow! Cut it out, Mom!" Link whimpered, rubbing his sore skull.

Normally Zelda appreciated Impa's, um, _enthusiasm _for defending girls against hungry boys, she did have rather unfortunate timing with this one. Oh well. No matter. She'd ask him later.

…it would just take another three years before she worked up enough courage.

The young Princess of Hyrule smiled, watching the overprotective caretaker beat her son upside the head with everything ranging from a sheath to a frying pan. Link continued to cry out in protest as the rest of the guests, sensing the good-hearted nature of it all, laughed along.

Zelda was eighteen years old, Princess of Hyrule, protected by her childhood best friend, and things were only looking up.

She wouldn't want to be anywhere but here.

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**Another kinda short chapter, but after the next chapter we're done with introductory chapters and the story actually begins. Good riddance to introduction. xD Are you noticing some similar phrases/parallels between Zelda and Midna's stories? ;)**

**Please leave a review! It would greatly make my day. :) I hope you've all been enjoying the story and I'll see you later! :D**


	4. The Metal that Binds

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Zelda. If I did… xD**

_**These Worlds of Ours **_**is rated "T" for mild language, drug use, romance, and fun action stuff.**

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_**The Metal that Binds**_

"I should file a complaint for child abuse."

Link sighed, rubbing the massive lump on the back of his head gingerly as he winced. The bright sunlight wasn't doing his migraine any favors. Sheesh. His mother could be so violent sometimes. He always felt her beatings the following day. Epona whinnied, nudging him gently, deep almond eyes filled with worry.

"You're the only female that doesn't drive me nuts, y'know," Link planted a kiss on his horse's soft mane, slightly disappointed that Zelda wasn't around to get jealous. Epona neighed happily, her casual walk turning into an elated trot. Link placed a hand on her muzzle to calm her, tentatively eyeing the massive cargo on her back. Whoops. He should know better than to get her excited when she was carrying a load.

Link yawned, practically collapsing and leaning on Epona's strong muscles for support. Goddesses, was he tired. He barely got any sleep anymore, thanks to early morning commander duties and late-night spy jobs. Between work and a demanding princess, there was no room for relaxation. No, the only time he felt at peace were simple times like this, delivering shipments on his morning breaks. He could finally hear himself think without a nagging female.

The Town Square was quieter than usual. Link stifled a small chuckle. He was sure half the country was hungover from last night's celebrations.

"Good morning, Link," a good-natured boom came from by the fountain. Link smiled, urging Epona on with a soft whistle and leading her to his usual contact. The plump mayor still seemed slightly inebriated, uneasy on his feet.

"Good morning, Bo. Good night?" Link made no motion to tie Epona's leads. The horse wouldn't dare go anywhere without Link. He started unloading his weekly shipment into the cart beside the jolly mayor as the larger man took a swig of some sort of fancy alcohol.

"Fantastic," Bo responded, his cheeks flushed red from one too many drinks. "All of Hyrule is happy the Princess is now ruling the country. None of us could stand Tiny Brags-a-Lot."

Link laughed lightly, wiping his hands as he finished loading the cart. Bo waved the alcohol under Epona's nose, who, not to Link's surprise, bit the bottle and chugged the rest down. Link groaned.

"Could you stop giving my horse that stuff? She'll become an alcoholic at this rate."

"Nonsense," Bo gave another hearty laugh, patting Epona's side affectionately as the horse whinnied gleefully. "She knows how to hold her wine. By the way," he said, his eyes narrowing and his voice becoming suddenly serious. He motioned Link over, leaning down slightly so he could whisper in the young commander's ear. "You're the talk of the town, m'boy. We're all waiting for you to propose to the Princess."

Link's face flushed a deep red as he pulled Epona suddenly in-between the mayor and himself, refusing to look into the older man's gaze. He should have known the rumors would start up again. Really. Have one innocent dance with Princess and you're suddenly beat by your mother and now the womanizer of the town. The townsfolk have rumored about Link and Zelda since they were children. They grew up together. Of course they were close. Link's mother practically raised Zelda.

"It was one dance," Link protested, his voice muffled by Epona's mane. "There's nothing going on between Zel and me."

"Oh? _Zel_, eh? Rather informal way to address the Princess, don't you think?" Bo teased, tossing the now-empty alcohol bottle into the cart and lighting a cigar.

"Shut up," Link grumbled softly. "Anyways," he cleared his throat, eager to change the subject. "How's Ordon, Bo?"

Bo's smile quickly turned into a frown as he plopped down on the ledge of the fountain, taking a big puff of his cigar. "The crop is still horrible, m'boy. We've used almost all of the reserves your father left us. These rations you give us are the only thing putting food on our tables."

Link leaned against Epona, rubbing her head as a nervous twitch. Even though the bad news wasn't surprising, it was still upsetting. Ordon was the birthplace of his father and a second home to him. When Impa went on missions with the army, she left Link behind in Ordon to protect him. He lived there until he was old enough to join the army himself. When he left, the village gave him Epona as a sign of their protection. Ordon was a farming village, reliant on their major crop, pumpkins. Recently, a months-long drought plagued the Ordona province, forcing Link to smuggle extra rations from the castle under the guise of farming tools.

"Have you submitted a formal a request?" Link asked somberly. "Zelda would ensure that at the very least these rations I give you are legal."

Bo shook his head, inhaling deeply through his nostrils. "I submitted a request a few months ago, back when Cole was in charge. At the time, he said he'd do something, but we all know he tore that paper up in seconds. Seeing as you have to wait before you can submit a proposal that was previously rejected again, there's not much I can do."

"I'll talk to Zel for you," Link said. "She'll do something. I promise. If there is anything I can do, please, _please_ let me know. I do control Hyrule's forces. I could send some soldiers down or…"

Bo shook his hands, standing up and placing a large, firm yet gentle hand on the young man's shoulder. He looked Link right in the eyes, the kind of loving look a man would give his son. "We wouldn't want you jeopardizing your career for us, laddie. We'll manage. These rations are more than enough."

"But Bo…"

"Enough," Bo boomed, his voice echoing throughout the nearly empty town square. He sighed, clapped Link on the shoulder. "We appreciate everything you do for us, Link. You may be a city boy now, but you're a child of Ordon. Besides…I…I promised Leo that nothing would happen to you. That I'd protect you. The fact you're smuggling food to us is already too risky. We'll manage. I'll keep you updated if anything serious happens. For now, do what you can." He winked at Link. "_Legally_, that is."

"Take care, Bo," Link said quietly, unable to meet the kind mayor's eyes.

"You too… my son."

Link watched the cart leave the city and gradually fade into the distance. He slumped against the fountain, picking up the used cigar that Bo left behind. Link shook his head, making a mental note to chastise him about littering later. Link inhaled the scent of the cigar fondly. Despite hating the smell of smoke, there was something about Bo's cigars that was just so comforting.

"What am I gonna do, girl?" He asked Epona softly. He felt so helpless. The only reason he was able to smuggle rations in was because Bo usually bought farming tools from him. The rations themselves were gathered weekly by Telma, the local barkeeper who also ran a secret club. He was the Commander of the Hylian Forces, for cryin' out loud, and he couldn't stop his home village from starving to death.

Great. Now he needed a drink. Link checked his pocket watch. His morning shift didn't start for another hour. Telma kept the bar open twenty-four hours a day in case any trouble went down as a safe haven. When the woman slept, Link had no idea.

"Go back to the castle, girl. I'm just gonna have a drink."

Epona snorted, quickly blocking the young commander's way with her broad body. She gave a huff and made no motion to move. Link, who was familiar with the language of animals, could only give a small smile. His horse was so stubborn. Link only drank when he was depressed, which was a good thing, because he was one of the biggest lightweights around. He got drunk off of one beer and if he had another…well…let's just say it wasn't pretty.

"I'm only gonna have a bit. I know better than to drink before the job. I just want a moment to think. The bar will be practically deserted this morning. Everyone got drunk last night. Besides," he said, putting both hands on his hips defiantly. "You're one to talk. You just chugged down a bottle of fine wine, young lady. You're gonna have to sleep that off before work."

Epona eyed him suspiciously before giving another huff. She made a noise of discontent, flicking her tail and reluctantly trotting back to the castle. Link smiled, grateful for his horse's concern. The city was beginning to wake, people bumbling groggily out of their homes, some still getting dressed. While Link was grateful they waited until after his meeting with Bo to wake up, he wasn't particularly concerned. Link always met Bo on Fridays, even before he started smuggling rations. Pushing past a half-asleep Goron, Link knocked on Telma's bar door twice before entering.

The little bar was tucked away in the southern part of the capital. Link glanced around the bar. The day's fresh meat hung in front of the door to the kitchen. The place was covered in empty beer and wine glasses, plates still strewn about. Link could've sworn he saw a small patch of vomit in the right corner. Other than the mess, the place was completely empty with the exception of Telma's cat, Louise, who mewed at him affectionately. Link scratched the fluffy white cat behind her ears and collapsed into one of the bar stools. He brushed away a dirty napkin and semi-broken beer glass, resting his head in his arms. Telma must have gone to sleep. Her bar was only this ratchet after a major event. No matter. He closed his eyes, ignoring the scent of moldy cheese and hops, trying to block all thoughts of a dying village out of his mind.

"You shouldn't be drinking before work, dear," a kind female voice said. Link felt a firm hand on his shoulder. He raised his head slowly, smiling at the plump, fire-haired barkeeper. She was dressed in her polka-dotted pajamas, not caring about her appearance in front of an old friend, pouring Link his usual drink…a beer with a .7% alcohol content. Link took a sip, mouth puckering in disgust. He hated the taste of alcohol.

"Sorry for the mess, Sweetie. I haven't had time to clean it up yet. I'll get my good-for-nothin' assistant to do it when he comes in." She placed a piece of warm bread in front of him. Link took a bite, relishing in its delicious taste. Warm, chewy, and slightly sour. Telma always made the best bread. While he was munching he could have sworn he heard Telma say something to Louise.

"…tell 'er he's here."

Normally, Link would be curious, but he wasn't in the mood. The news of Ordon just drained the strength right out of him. The issue had been on his mind for days, yet hearing auditory confirmation that things were bad just ate at his soul. He still felt helpless. He was a military commander. He didn't really know how to do anything but fight. How could that help a starving village?

"It's Ordon, isn't it?" Telma asked, Louise leaping gently onto Link's shoulder and licking his face. Link yelped slightly, scratching Louise. Cat tongues always felt strange on his face. They were always so rough. Link sighed, rubbing Louise's back.

"Yeah," he said. "Things aren't looking good, Telma. I don't know what to do."

"That village won't die while there are strong hearts looking after it," Telma said. "I'm sure to have plenty of leftover stock. As long as we continue to provide rations, at the very least, we can ensure survival. The drought's only a temporary thing, love. Now," she said, tilting Link's head up and forcing him to look her in the eyes, "…you cheer up. You're doing everything you can. You're not a superhero, dear. You're one person. Save some of that worry for yourself."

Link smiled fondly at the kindly barkeeper, taking another small swig of his drink and deciding that was enough. He clapped himself on the cheeks, trying to get himself out of the funk that plagued him since his conversation with Bo. Telma was right. As long as he provided rations to the villagers, they would survive. And the drought had to be almost over, right?

"Telma, thank you for…"

"LINK! Buddy ol' pal, how are you doing?" Before Link could finish his sentence, he was suddenly tackled by a lanky blond kid with a patch over his left eye. Link groaned, picking himself out of a mess of broken plates and some sort of potent old sauce.

"Really, Sheik? Did you have to knock me into the hot sauce?" Link protested, rubbing at the stain and frowning at his best friend.

"It's Telma's fault for not cleaning up," Sheik said, ignoring the barkeeper's insults ("get on your hands and knees and scrub, brat") and downing the rest of Link's drink in one swig. He looked at the bottle in disgust. "You're pathetic, Link. This beer is so weak it doesn't even qualify as beer."

"So I'm a lightweight. I get it," Link pulled himself by the legs of the bar stool and snatching away his piece of bread before Sheik could steal it. Sheik made a noise of protest and sighed, leaning back, folding his arms behind his head and resting his legs on the bar. Link slapped his friend's legs, pulling them off the countertop as Telma grabbed the broom, ready to chase the Sheikah out in two seconds flat. "What are you doing here? You hate waking up early."

"I wanted to talk to you," Sheik said nonchalantly, enjoying Telma's display with the broom. "I knew we couldn't really talk at work and you're always up early on Fridays, so I was hoping you'd come here."

Link took the broom from Telma, motioning the barkeeper away with an apologetic look. He instinctively began cleaning up the mess as a way to clear his head as he thought. Sheik? Get up early to talk to him? That was strange. Link and Sheik always talked during their lunch break, at the very least. Granted, the other soldiers were always around, but…Sheik? Get up early? Something was wrong.

"So talk to me, then. What's up?"

Sheik watched Link clean, recognizing that the action was Link's way of releasing nervous energy. He opened his mouth to say something before shaking his head, patting Link on the butt and relishing in Link's annoyed expression.

"I wanted to congratulate you, my friend. You are officially the talk of the town. So when are you going to stop breaking the Princess's heart and finally pop the question?"

Link stopped mid-sweep, dropping the broom. His face flushed bright red as he swung at Sheik, who easily dodged, laughing his head off. Of course. Why would Link be concerned? This was Sheik he was talking about. Sheik would get up early just to mess with him.

"You know it's not like that," Link growled, his face rivaling the color of a tomato. Why did everyone get on his case about Zelda? What was wrong with being close to someone you grew up with? She was like a sister to him. Of course he cared about her.

A sister. Zelda was his sister.

…was that really it?

Sheik howled with laughter, holding his sides before finally waving his hand at Link. "Sorry, you're so much fun to tease. You know I had to mess with you. That wasn't why I came here," he said, his face suddenly becoming serious. "I have to talk to you."

Again? Link raised his eyebrow curiously, his face returning to its normal color. Link hated when someone said they had to talk to him. It always had such negative connotations. And…serious Sheik was just plain weird.

"It's…how do I put this…I mean…" Sheik sighed, fumbling for words and fiddling with his thumbs. He was clearly at a loss for words. As Sheik grew more and more uncomfortable and speechless, Link grew more and more confused. Sheik was acting weird. Could the Zelda crack earlier be Sheik's way of trying to lighten the mood? Or a distraction? Whatever what was on his best friend's mind, it was clearly eating at him.

"Sheik…" Link sighed, smiling at the Sheikah. "You're my best friend. You know you can tell me anything."

Link would only say something like that to Sheik when no one was around. Hell, if Zelda knew, she'd be so excited and claim he and Sheik had a "bromance" or something like that. Link wasn't always the best at expressing his feelings and Sheik was much worse. Sometimes they just had to put it all on the table.

"Link…"

"Sheik? Honey, why did you change the meeting spot all of a sudden? Honestly, I don't know what to do with you sometimes…"

What? That voice…

Sheik's eyes bulged as he frantically waved his hands at Link, various syllables sputtering out of his mouth, unable to form complete words. After a moment of flailing, Sheik turned to the newcomer and yelled.

"Don't come any closer!"

"What the hell was that, you ungrateful brat? I come all the way here to visit you so we can have a nice moment together, and you…"

Link couldn't believe what he was hearing and seeing. Suddenly, as if materializing out of nowhere, a beautiful battle-hardened woman with long, ashy blond hair and vibrant green eyes appeared behind Sheik. The woman's original look of annoyance quickly turned into shock.

"Mom?"

* * *

**A/N**

**Talk about awkward… xD I wasn't originally going to end it there, but it was just so…perfect. xD**

**We are done with our introductory chapters! That makes me happy. xD I have been trying to improve my writing, so constructive criticism is always welcome. As always, I'm famous for missing my own mistakes, so let me know if you see any errors. **

**Please leave a review! It would fill my heart with cupcakes and Tales of Xillia plushies. xD **

**I hope you are all enjoying the story and I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


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